Morgan State University is a comprehensive, doctoral granting institution founded in 1867. It has the unique designation by legislative statute as Maryland's "Public Urban University," reflecting its location in Baltimore, the State's largest urban center, its service to the urban population and focus on urban issues. As a Historically Black University (HBCU), it has built a distinguished history of serving students from minority backgrounds, and today ranks among the top producers of minority baccalaureates in the sciences and engineering nationwide. The University has recently embarked on an aggressive effort to transform itself from a primarily teaching institution to a research-intensive University, with particular emphasis on the biological, behavioral and chemical sciences and engineering. As such, it now places considerable emphasis on faculty research development. It recognizes that the transformation must necessarily be supported by an effective research administrative infrastructure to assure that its growing sponsored research programs are managed properly, and implemented successfully. The Extramural Associates Development Award (EARDA) has provided an excellent and timely opportunity for the University to acquire supplemental resources for research development, as well as enhance its research administrative infrastructure. It was envisaged in the PHASE I proposal that upon completion of the 5-month EA training, Dr. Edet Isuk, the incumbent PI for Morgan's EARDA grant, would assume expanded responsibilities within the Office of Sponsored Programs and Research (OSPR), and play a more critical role in developing the research enterprise at the university. This goal has clearly been achieved. Among the specific accomplishments of PHASE I are the following: 1) restructuring of OSPR to reflect Dr. Isuk's expanded responsibilities as Director; 2) increased staffing level of the office from seven to eleven; 3) conduct of proposal development workshops; 4) funding of nine pilot studies t through mini-grants; 5) expansion of faculty research support services to include COS, SPIN and Science Tracker publications alert; and 6) serving as a model office for EA trainees, 2001 and 2002. Morgan is requesting continuation funding in the Phase II SRIP/EARDA so that it can build on the progress already made in its systematic effort to stimulate faculty research development and to significantly raise the quality index of its sponsored research administration.